Volunteer as a walk leader

If you love our Heart and Soul walks, why not volunteer as one of our walk leaders?

Heart and Sole walks

Volunteer as a walk leader

Without our volunteer walk leaders, the Heart and Sole programme would not be possible.

The main skill we need from our volunteer walk leaders is an enthusiasm for walking and its benefits.

You don't need any particular experience, but we love our leaders to:

be friendly and welcoming
have good communication skills
be reliable, punctual and well organised
be confident at speaking in front of small groups
be able to take control
be assertive when needed
be observant and sensitive to the needs of others

What's my role as a walk leader?

Our walk leaders act as either a front leader, a middle marker or back marker during the walks. They make sure that everyone is on route, and comfortable with the pace.

As a walk leader, you will need to:

attend any walk prior to training so we can meet you to find out about you and you can find out about the scheme
complete one day walk leader training course
shadow a lead walker during a walk
complete and return the paperwork for the walks you are involved with
encourage and motivate walkers to attend regularly
adhere to the health and safety guidelines and safeguarding measures
attend quarterly walk leader meetings at the Civic Centre

How do I become a walk leader?

If you are interested in volunteering as a walk leader, you can contact us at Community Sport and Wellbeing.

You will need to attend training before you can lead one of our walks.

The next walk leader courses will be at the Civic Centre, Chelmsford, CM1 1JE.

The dates are subject to change, but they are currently schedule for:

Thursday 22 April 2021
Thursday 9 September 2021

Essential information

You can volunteer once a month, or more frequently if you want to.
All walks are no longer than 90 minutes.
You will need to arrive 15 minutes before the start of the walk to register walkers.
You will also need to be available at the end of the walk to answer questions and encourage socialising.
You will receive support as a walk leader, but we do not cover any expenses.